title: Dietary arachidonic acid dose-dependently increases the arachidonic acid concentration in human milk.
abstract: Lactation hampers normalization of the maternal arachidonic acid (AA) status, which is reduced after pregnancy and can further decline by the presently recommended increased consumption of (n-3) long-chain PUFA [(n-3) LCPUFA]. This may be unfavorable for breast-fed infants, because they also require an optimum supply of (n-6) LCPUFA. We therefore investigated the LCPUFA responses in nursing mothers upon increased consumption of AA and (n-3) LCPUFA. In a parallel, double-blind, controlled trial, lactating women received for 8 wk no extra LCPUFA (control group, n = 8), 200 (low AA group, n = 9), or 400 (high AA group, n = 8) mg/d AA in combination with (n-3) LCPUFA [320 mg/d docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 80 mg/d eicosapentaenoic acid, and 80 mg/d other (n-3) fatty acids], or this dose of (n-3) LCPUFA alone [DHA + eicosapentaenoic acid group, n = 8]. Relative concentrations of AA, DHA, and sums of (n-6) and (n-3) LCPUFA were measured in milk total lipids (TL) and erythrocyte phospholipids (PL) after 2 and 8 wk and changes were compared by ANCOVA. The combined consumption of AA and (n-3) LCPUFA caused dose-dependent elevations of AA and total (n-6) LCPUFA concentrations in milk TL and did not significantly affect the DHA and total (n-3) LCPUFA increases caused by (n-3) LCPUFA supplementation only. This latter treatment did not significantly affect breast milk AA and total (n-6) LCPUFA concentrations. AA and DHA concentrations in milk TL and their changes were strongly and positively correlated with their corresponding values in erythrocyte PL (r(2) = 0.27-0.50; P </= 0.002). We thus concluded that the consumption by lactating women of AA in addition to extra (n-3) LCPUFA dose dependently increased the AA concentration of their milk TL.
authors.affiliation: NutriScience BV, 6229 EV Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Antje R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Weseler
authors.forename: Chantal E H
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Dirix
authors.forename: Maaike J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bruins
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hornstra
mesh_terms: D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid